Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A LONG DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 314,859. Patented Mal 31, 1885.

(N0 Modelz) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. LONG. DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 314,869. Patented Mar. 31 1885.

WIHHHHH Hi WWW WITNESSES N. PETERS. Mia-MW. Wahivflon. 04 c;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER LONG, or LEIPSIC, OHIO.

DlTCHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 314,859, dated March 31,1885. Application filed May8,1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LONG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Leipsic, in the county of Putnam and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'inDitching-lvlachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to ditching-machines; and it consists in theimprovements hereinafter fully described, whereby ditches of variousdepths may be cut, the cut soil promptly removed, and the relative levelof the ditchbottom readily discerned and controlled by the operator.

Inthe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a side elevation ofone side of my improved machine; Fig. 2, a likeelevation of the opposite side; Fig. 3, a plan; Fig. 4, an invertedplan, and Fig. 5 a front view.

The main or supporting frame of the machine consists of a longitudinalbeam, A,which is supported at its ends by front and rear axles, BC, therear axle, 0, being rigid, while the connection of the front axle, B,with the said beam is of a pivotal character, to permit the lateral playof said axle with respect to said beam. The ends of the front and rearaxles,

B O, are reduced to form spindles for the reception of carrying-wheelsO, which turn on said spindles. The longitudinal beam A is obliquelyperforated for the reception and passage of an inclined bar, D, Figs. 1,2, and 3,

. which extends beneath the beam, and is faced at such lower portionwith a metallic plate, a, terminating in a cutting-edge, and providedwith'vertical side extensions, b, Fig. 5, adapted to form side cuttersfor the lower portion of the bar. Two standards, E E, located at theupper side of the central portion of the beam A, support the journals ofa drum, F, which is grooved at one side to receive a rib, a, projectingabove the upper face and at one side of the beam D. The peripheralsurface of the drum bears frictionally in contact with the upper face ofthesaid beam D. A longitudinal rack-bar, d, islsecured centrally on theunder side of the beam D, and the said raclcbar is engaged by a pinion,e, keyed on a shaft, f, Fig. 3, journaled in side bearlngsj, and canrying at one end a gear-wheel, g. A lever, G. is loosely fulcrumed onthe end of the shaftf adjacent to the gear-wheel g, and carries a pawl,9, adapted to engage said gear-wheel upon the forward movement of saidlever. A spring-catch, h, is adapted to engage the said lever near itshandle h, to prevent the rearward movement of said lever when undesired,while a shoulder-bracket, h, secured on the side of one of the standardsE, is adapted to limit the forward movement of the said lever. A curvedmoldboard, H, Fig. 1, is in terposed between the upper face of the lowerportion of the bar D and the under side of the beam A, the latter beingout awayto a slight extent to accommodate the curved upper portion ofthe said mold-board H. The moldboard is retained in position by means ofbolts which pass through the same at or about its center, thuspermitting its lower extended end, i, to bear with a spring-pressureupon the upper face of the bar D, thereby practically converting thesaid mold-board into a continuation of the metallic facing a of saidbar. A threaded rod, j, passes through the beam A, so as to bear uponthe upper portion of the mold-board H, the said rod j by its rotationoperating to spring the ends 2 into contact with the facing a of the barD. A section, J, is bolted on the rear under portion of the beam A, asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. A lever, K, Fig. 4, is centrally pivotedon the under side of said section J by means of a pivotbolt, k, one endof saidlever being connected by a link, k,witl1 the lower end of alever, L, centrally pivoted on the side of the beam A, and having anear, m, to engage a rack-bar, m. A guard, M, is secured by a loop, m",to the front portion of the section J, beneath the mold- ICC areperforated, plates 0 being likewise secured at the under side of thefront and rear aXles, and perforated so as to vertically register withthe said plates 0. A horizontal beam, 0, is supported above the beam Aby means of vertical rods 19, the upper ends of which are attached tothe ends of the beam 0, while the said rods pass through theperforations in the said plates 0 o and are secured by means ofclamp-nuts o,which engage the lower threaded ends of said rods. Curvedfingers 1?, Figs. 1 and 2, are likewise secured at the lower ends of therods 1), and the said fingers extend, respectively, in the direction ofthe front and rear of the machine. The beam 0 is bent at its center toreceive a case, 0'', longitudinally recessed to receive a spirit-level,O, the glass of which level rests in said recess and is enibraced by aspiral metallic guard, 0'. An arm, Q, is secured at one side of the beamA, and has pivotally secured to its upper end the lower portion of asecond arm, Q, which is graduated on'its inner face and provided with aseries of figures readily seen from the operators position. A cord orcable, R, is secured at one end to the center of the beam 0, and passesover a pulley journaled at the up per end of the arm Q, and is attachedat its other end to a contracting spring-section b, which terminates ina hook, 8, adapted to engage the curved rod 8, secured to the side ofthe beam A and standard E.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by disengaging the hook sfrom the curved rod 3 and lowering the beam .0 into the ditch until thefingers]? contact with the bottom of the same the number of the figureon the section Q beneath the bottom edge of the beam 0 will indicate thedepth of the ditch, and any uneven cut or grading will be revealed bythe spirit level 0, thus enabling the operator to adjust the machine tosecure regularity in the ditching operation. The depth of the ditch maybe readily increased by manipulating the lever G to rotate the shaft f,thereby revolving the pinion e and causing the forward descent andprojection of the bar D. The facing a readily scoops up the earth andthe cutters I) trim the sides of the ditch. The loose earth, passing upthe facing a, contacts with the mold-board H, which discharges saidearth in front of the guard M, by which it is deflected to one side ofthe ditch beyond the travel of the machine. The extent to which theearthis deflected may be readily adjusted by operating the lever L andmoving the lever K on its pivot, which movement serves to move the guardM to either an inclined or right-angle position, as desired. The driversseat T is secured on the upper side of the beam A in advance of the drumF.

I claim- 1. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supportingframe or carriage, an inclined bar playing obliquely therein andprovided at its upper side with a rib, a drum journaled about midway inthe supporting-frame contacting with said bar, and grooved to receivesaid rib, and devices for moving said bar in a downward or upwarddirection, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supporting-frame, aninclined bar playing obliquely therein and provided at its lower portionwith a facing having cutting-edges, a mold-board secured on the underside of the frame and contacting with said facing, and devices formoving said bar in a forward or rearward direction, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supporting -frame, aninclined bar playing obliquely therein and provided at itsloWer portionwith a facing having cutting-edges, a guard, M, pivotally attached atits front end to the frame adjacent to said facing, and devices forlaterally moving said guard M, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supporting-frame, aninclined bar play ing therein and provided at its lower-portion with afacing having cutting-edges, a moldboard secured on theunder side of theframe and contacting with said facing, a guard, M, pivotally attached,as described, and devices for operating said inclined bar and guard M,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supporting-framecarrying ditching devices, a beam, 0, provided with a level and havingthe vertical rods 19 playing through bearings in the frame, and carryingthe fingers I at their ends, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a ditching-machine, of a supporting-framecarrying ditching devices, a beam, 0, provided with a case containing aspirit-level embraced by a metallic guard, vertical rods 11, connectedto said beam 0, playing through bearings in the frame, and carrying thefingers P at their lower ends, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, in a ditchingmachine, of a supporting-frame carryingditching devices, a spirit-level connected to devices extending into theditch, and a graduated arm, with respect to which said spirit-levelplays, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, in a ditching-machine,

of a supporting-frame carrying ditching de-- vices, a graduated armmounted on said frame, a spirit-level and connections extending into theditch, and a cord or cable for elevating said level, substantially asset forth. 9. The combination, in a ditching-machine constructed andarranged substantially as described, of the guard M, having loop a onits inner side, a lever, K, centrally pivotedand engaging said loop, anddevices for operating said lever, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, in a ditching-machine arranged and constructedsubstantially as described, of a graduated arm mounted on the machineand carrying a pulley at its upper end, a level device, a cord or cableattached to said level device passing over said pulley,

and having a hook at its other end to engage a fixed portion of themachine as set forth.

11. The combination, in a ditching-machine arranged and constructedsubstantially as described, of a graduated arm mounted on the machineand carrying a pulley at its upper end, a level device, a cord or cableattached to said level device passing around said pulley set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses S. MATTERS, J. WERNER.

ALEXANDER LONG.

